[Information] Campaign Setting

[Enthusiast]

This is the New World, or the most up-to-date map of it that is currently available. For a map that displays the party's current position in the world, as well as relevant minor points of interest, click here.

What you know about any given location will vary, depending on your character's background, as well as checks and/or training in skills such as Nature and History. This thread will be updated periodically, as you learn more about Medrona. If there is any information lacking, just ask! Points of interest within Medrona are noted below.

1. Olid. The first Imperial settlement in the New World, Olid is a small port city with a population of roughly 1,000. It was founded about 30 years ago during a colonizing expedition led by Sir Cammerath Wilde. Since the city's founding, Sir Wilde has held the title of Baron, presiding over Olid and the small plots of farmland beyond the city walls. Baron Wilde is a kind, down-to-earth dwarf who takes pride in his reputation as a man of the people. (See specific post for map and points of interest within the city.)

2. Amarin. Founded shortly after the establishment of Olid, Amarin is a mid-sized city with a burgeoning population of about 6,000. Having been built on a cliffside, the city offers beautiful views, and it showcases some marvellous artwork and architecture as well. Amarin's operation is overseen by Grif Telmet, a half-elven diplomat of renowned skill. Baron Telmet's greatest achievements occurred some 20 years ago, when he succeeded in a number of negotiations and settlements with the shifters, Medrona's native inhabitants. Since gaining his position, the Baron of Amarin has shaped the city into a center of culture, showcasing the glory of Erathic civilization while also embracing the cultural traditions of the native shifters. The city prides itself on being welcoming to both Old World Imperialists and New World converts, although many from the Old World are disgusted by Baron Telmet's unaplogetic compromises with the "savages." (See specific post for map and points of interest within the city.)

3. Port Calia. The capital city of Medrona, Port Calia was founded about 15 years ago. Its construction has been swift, partly because a half-built city is vulnerable to attack, but mostly because it shows great promise as a trading hub. Surrounded by 60-foot walls, the city is well-fortified, although it was built for commerce, with a large harbour at the southern end and wide passages on the other three borders. The mountain pass to the north is still under construction and the western gate is sealed off, but Port Calia shows great promise as a future center of commerce in the New World. The city is managed by Baron Kedre'al, but the real authority rests with Vexander Creed, who acts on behalf of the Empress as Viceroy of the New World.

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5. The Oliddian Wood. An ordinary coastal forest, home to many of the same creatures that inhabit the Old World, as well as creatures unique to the New World. The Oliddian Wood is also rumoured to be home to bandits that prey upon travellers on the road between Olid and Amarin.

6. The Anorra Wood. A lush, inland forest, immensely thick and notoriously difficult to navigate. The Anorra Wood is allegedly home to the Temple of Kelhorath, sacred keeping place of the fabled Branch of the Ancients.

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10. The Verulian Mountains. Also known simply as the Verulia, a sprawling mountain range that stretches across the north end of Medrona. The mountains themselves are, as far as anyone can tell, unspectacular, but the prospect of what might lie beyond the mountain range has captured the imagination of the Empire. There are whispers of dragonkind and wholly undiscovered creatures living north of the Verulia. Of course, the mountains appear to be all but impassable, although a passage is under construction in the north end of Port Calia.

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14. The Temple of Kelhorath. The alleged home of the Branch of the Ancients. The Temple is said to be well-hidden and the Branch well-guarded.

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Whereas the Old World experiences a more temperate climate, bordering on polar in the southern regions, Medrona's climate tends to be closer to subtropical. The plains that dominate most of the New World are akin to the plains of the Serengeti, characterized by long grasses and scarce water. There are, of course, woodlands and swamplands throughout the plains. For travellers making their way through the New World, their greatest environmental concern is the heat; it's not a desert, exactly, but it's certainly warm. Horses can tolerate the heat well enough, and they're content to graze in the grasslands, but they require a considerable amount of water.

[Enthusiast]

The first Imperial settlement in the New World, Olid is a small port city with a population of roughly 1,000. It was founded about 30 years ago during a colonizing expedition led by Sir Cammerath Wilde. Since the city's founding, Sir Wilde has held the title of Baron, presiding over Olid and the small plots of farmland beyond the city walls. Baron Wilde is a kind, down-to-earth dwarf who takes pride in his reputation as a man of the people.

As always, what you know about any given location will vary, depending on your character's background, as well as checks and/or training in skills such as Nature and History. Points of interest within the city are noted below.

1. Town Square. An open intersection and a common meeting place within the city.

2. The Hammercrest Tavern & Inn. Established shortly after the city's founding--what city is complete without a good tavern?--the Hammercrest is a quaint building where locals and weary travellers alike spend many an evening. It isn't the only tavern in town, but it's generally the most active, especially when ships dock in Olid's port. Within the tavern is

WANTED: Ruskin "Red Herring" Cordill
Male half-elf, aged 30-35, 5'10", red hair
Wanted alive
Suspected of committing numerous counts of theft along the Imperial Road
Reward: 1,450gp

WANTED: Ophelia Embli
Female elf, aged 20-25, 5'7", curly blond hair
Wanted dead or alive
Suspected of committing numerous counts of adultery, theft and murder; last seen in Amarin marketplace
Reward: 3,500gp

REWARD: 1,000gp
to anyone that can deliver forty or more bloodflower petals.
These petals hold the cure for an ailing loved one.
Reward is negotiable. Please help!
-Lord Wendell Maverly

HELP WANTED
Will pay able-bodied soldiers to defend my livestock from wild creatures.
Will pay even more if you can solve the problem permanently.
-Aldous Tessler
[there is a crude map depicting the farm's location, a few miles north of Olid's northwest gate]

a notice board with various postings, which change from time to time.

3. The Baron's Manor. Baron Wilde's manor is large, but otherwise unremarkable. In fact, it looks quite similar to many of the other wood-and-stone structures in Olid. The manor is home to the Baron and his wife, as well as their four servants on staff.

4. Barracks. Located close to the outskirts of the city, the barracks give home to Olid's standing guard regiment of 60 well-trained soldiers. There are generally 20-30 guards on duty at any given time, patrolling the city and the surrounding area, and manning the three city gates and watchtowers. Even when off duty, however, Olid's guards are expected to remain vigilant and at the ready.

5. The Market District. Conveniently located close to the docks, the market district is a dynamic space, with vendors setting up their carts and kiosks for days or weeks at a time before boarding a ship back to the Old World or travelling up the road to Amarin. Merchants of all kinds are permitted to peddle their wares in the market district, so long as they acquire a permit beforehand. Alongside the ever-changing array of kiosks, there is a handful of permanent businesses, including bakeries, tailors, seamstresses, armourers, and stables.

6. The Docks. Olid's docks are adjacent to a number of large warehouses, where goods are stored before or after being exported or imported. The warehouses are typically guarded by mercenaries or city guardsmen, depending on the nature and ownership of the cargo. Following the recent completion of the docks in Port Calia, Olid's port has become much quieter.

7. The Library. Olid is home to a modest library, housing texts on a variety of subjects. While the selection is sparse, compared to the well-stocked libraries of the Old World, Olid's library carries a handful of rare texts relating to Medrona.

8. The Temple. Located along Olid's eastern shore, the city's temple is primarily devoted to three deities--Erathis, Moradin and Correlon--but it also features a generic altar where devotees can pray to any of the gods. The temple is maintained by a small contingent of clerics and priests led by High Abbess Yara.

9. City Gate and Watchtower (North). Olid's northern gate is by far the busiest of the three, as it is the only one with a road that leads anywhere. Still, the gate is seldom closed. It is always manned by no fewer than three guardsmen: two on the ground and one in the watchtower.

10. City Gate and Watchtower (Northeast). Unlike the northern gate, this one is manned only by a guard in the watchtower, and the gate itself typically remains closed.

11. City Gate and Watchtower (East). Unlike the northern gate, this one is manned only by a guard in the watchtower, and the gate itself typically remains closed.

[Enthusiast]

2. Amarin



Founded shortly after the establishment of Olid, Amarin is a mid-sized city with a burgeoning population of about 6,000. Having been built on a cliffside, the city offers beautiful views, and it showcases some marvellous artwork and architecture as well. Amarin's operation is overseen by Grif Telmet, a half-elven diplomat of renowned skill. Baron Telmet's greatest achievements occurred some 20 years ago, when he succeeded in a number of negotiations and settlements with the shifters, Medrona's native inhabitants. Since gaining his position, the Baron of Amarin has shaped the city into a center of culture, showcasing the glory of Erathic civilization while also embracing the cultural traditions of the native shifters. The city prides itself on being welcoming to both Old World Imperialists and New World converts, although many from the Old World are disgusted by Baron Telmet's unaplogetic compromises with the "savages."

As always, what you know about any given location will vary, depending on your character's background, as well as checks and/or training in skills such as Nature and History. Points of interest within the city are noted below.

1. The Blazing Sun Amphitheatre. How could Old World glory and New World culture be on display without a stage? All roads in Amarin lead to the Blazing Sun Amphitheatre, which hosts various events, from the traditional theatrical performances of the Old World to the sporting contests unique to the New. Even the amphitheatre's name is an homage both to the beaming light in the center of Erathis' cog, as well as the beating sun that characterizes Medrona.

2. Central Bazaar. In a city littered with marketplaces, the central bazaar is the hub of most of Amarin's commercial activity. It opens and closes with the rising and setting of the sun each day.

3. The Baron's Manor. Behind the stage of the amphitheatre is a walled estate designed to inspire awe in those who look upon it. Within the walls is the courtyard and manor of Baron Grif Telmet. At first sight, one might think it an opulent display of wealth and power. That is, until one learns that the manor is at once a commune for artists, an academy, a library, a refugee camp, among countless other functions. It is, for all intents and purposes, a community center.

4. The Ivory Moon Tavern & Inn. Built to house the travellers that flock to Amarin for its many cultural and sporting events, the Ivory Moon is by far Amarin's busiest tavern.

5. Barracks. Amarin's military compound serves as a garrison for a sizable portion of the Empire's standing army in the New World. The barracks are also home to the City Guard, and the compound boasts its own smithies and training grounds, in addition to its own taphouse, The Beacon.

6. The Temple of Erathis. A busy and often crowded locale, even in a diverse city with temples devoted to most major deities, the Temple of Erathis in Amarin is another exemplar of the greatness of Civilization. Overlooking the endless ocean, the temple hosts daily worship services, all of which are well-attended.

7. The Heritage District. Baron Telmet prides himself on the extent to which Medrona's native shifters have been integrated into Imperial society in Amarin, but there remains a District in the city where New World traditions and practices take precedence over all else. It has been dubbed the Heritage District, where shifters enjoy the benefits of Civilization and sacrifice few of their ancestral ways. The Heritage District has become a sight to behold for Amarin's visitors, a place where one can truly witness a people in transition. The District hosts countless vendors and artisans peddling their wares against a backdrop of stone structures, open fires and tribal cermonies. The Heritage District is also home to a tavern of its own, The Weaver of Fate.

8. City Gate and Watchtower (Northeast). The city walls meet the Imperial Road at two points, one of which is the Northeast Gate. The gate is open from sunrise to sunset, but is always guarded by four members of the City Guard, who are often joined by members of the Imperial Army.

9. City Gate and Watchtower (North). Like its Northeastern counterpart, the North Gate is under constant guard. Amarin's other two entrances are guarded less closely, but they are often closed.